Tension headaches are characterized by a mild to significant level of pain that feels like a tight pressure band has been placed around the head. In healthcare nomenclature, this is called a tension-type headache and though it is the most common type of headache experienced, there is little agreement amongst health professionals as to what causes it. Fortunately, effective care is available and includes several alternative approaches.
Some experts do not believe that muscle contractions cause headache pain however sufferers often report that it feels this way. The discomfort may include a dull, aching pain and a feeling of pressure or tightness across the forehead and eyes and/or the back and sides of the head. Muscles of the shoulders, the neck, and the scalp may become tender and some people may have appetite loss when the pain is present. The condition may last only 30 minutes or as long as a week or more.
Severity of pain varies between patients and even from one headache to the next. Some patients report only occasional onset while others experience this type of headache almost constantly. If the condition occurs for at least 15 days each month for three months or longer, it is considered chronic. Otherwise, it is labeled episodic. Patients suffering from frequent episodic tension headaches are at increased risk of these becoming chronic.
It is difficult to distinguish a muscular tension headache from a migraine. A significant difference is that a tension-type headache is not normally associated with nausea, visual disturbances, slurred speech, numbness or weakness of one side of the body, vomiting, or abdominal pain. Physical activity also does not exacerbate the pain as it does with a migraine. Sensitivity to sound or light may occur, but it is not a common symptom.
Emotional stress, anxiety, depression, clenching the jaw, and poor posture can initiate the pain. Research theories regarding a cause explain interference of nerve pathways to the brain exhibited as heightened sensitivity to pain. A severe headache can sometimes be an indication of an uncommon but serious emergency problem such as an aneurysm or brain tumor.
Overactive pain receptors in the body may result in the muscle tenderness that many patients experience. Good posture can reduce pressure on muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments. Correct posture supports and protects the entire body and permits efficient movement. Chiropractic adjustments to the cervical spine, which is the upper bones in the neck, has been shown to relieve irritated nerves and joints that can contribute to this condition.
A research study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics described patients suffering from tension headaches being treated with six weeks of medication or six weeks of chiropractic care. Both groups reported reduction of headache frequency and intensity. However the patients given chiropractic treatment noted fewer side effects and experienced continued relief after the conclusion of the treatment. The patients who took the medication reported that their headache pain had returned to the original baseline.
Some experts do not believe that muscle contractions cause headache pain however sufferers often report that it feels this way. The discomfort may include a dull, aching pain and a feeling of pressure or tightness across the forehead and eyes and/or the back and sides of the head. Muscles of the shoulders, the neck, and the scalp may become tender and some people may have appetite loss when the pain is present. The condition may last only 30 minutes or as long as a week or more.
Severity of pain varies between patients and even from one headache to the next. Some patients report only occasional onset while others experience this type of headache almost constantly. If the condition occurs for at least 15 days each month for three months or longer, it is considered chronic. Otherwise, it is labeled episodic. Patients suffering from frequent episodic tension headaches are at increased risk of these becoming chronic.
It is difficult to distinguish a muscular tension headache from a migraine. A significant difference is that a tension-type headache is not normally associated with nausea, visual disturbances, slurred speech, numbness or weakness of one side of the body, vomiting, or abdominal pain. Physical activity also does not exacerbate the pain as it does with a migraine. Sensitivity to sound or light may occur, but it is not a common symptom.
Emotional stress, anxiety, depression, clenching the jaw, and poor posture can initiate the pain. Research theories regarding a cause explain interference of nerve pathways to the brain exhibited as heightened sensitivity to pain. A severe headache can sometimes be an indication of an uncommon but serious emergency problem such as an aneurysm or brain tumor.
Overactive pain receptors in the body may result in the muscle tenderness that many patients experience. Good posture can reduce pressure on muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments. Correct posture supports and protects the entire body and permits efficient movement. Chiropractic adjustments to the cervical spine, which is the upper bones in the neck, has been shown to relieve irritated nerves and joints that can contribute to this condition.
A research study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics described patients suffering from tension headaches being treated with six weeks of medication or six weeks of chiropractic care. Both groups reported reduction of headache frequency and intensity. However the patients given chiropractic treatment noted fewer side effects and experienced continued relief after the conclusion of the treatment. The patients who took the medication reported that their headache pain had returned to the original baseline.
About the Author:
Patricia Janis Thom is an author writing about how to be healthy. Are you looking for Pittsburgh North Hills chiropractic? Get more information about chiropractic Pittsburgh North Hills
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